[Asia Economy (Seongnam) = Reporter Lee Young-gyu] The Gyeonggi Province Democratic Party issued a statement expressing hope that the relocation of Mayor-elect Shin Sang-jin's office from the 2nd floor to the 4th floor of the Seongnam City Hall would not signal the start of an uncommunicative administration.
On the 27th, the Gyeonggi Province Party criticized, "Mayor-elect Shin Sang-jin is pushing forward with the construction to move his office from the 2nd floor, which has excellent accessibility for citizens, to the 4th floor. The fact that the 2nd-floor mayor's office is being removed without any consultation or discussion resembles President Yoon Seok-yeol's relocation of his office to Yongsan."
They continued, "During the tenure of former Seongnam Mayor Lee Dae-yeop of the Grand National Party, the Seongnam City Hall was considered a symbol of extravagance and faced nationwide criticism. After Mayor Lee Jae-myung took office, it was transformed into an 'Open City Hall' visited by over one million citizens annually. The most beloved space in the 'Open City Hall' was the Seongnam Mayor's office, which anyone could visit at any time," they asserted.
The Gyeonggi Province Party particularly pointed out, "At a time when Seongnam citizens are facing hardships such as soaring prices, stock market crashes, and economic slowdown, one cannot help but ask whether the new mayor's urgent task is relocating the office and interior decoration. In contrast, Hoengseong County in Gangwon Province is moving the county office from the 2nd floor to the 1st floor to enhance communication with residents and improve accessibility for the disabled, but Seongnam is going in the opposite direction."
Furthermore, they promised, "We will thoroughly monitor and question this reckless office relocation to ensure it does not mark the beginning of an uncommunicative administration. We will investigate whether there is any illegality in the construction contract process and examine if there are additional plans for abuse of power, such as closing employee welfare facilities to create a luxurious mayor's office, and correct any wrongdoing."
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